Former Salem, Virginia, Police Officer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Soliciting Sexual Favors in Exchange for Potential Lenient Treatment

A former police officer employed by the City of Salem, Virginia, and assigned to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) task force, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for soliciting and receiving sexual favors from a cooperating defendant in exchange for agreeing to recommend a favorable sentence to a federal prosecutor on the defendant’s behalf.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Lee of the FBI’s Richmond Division and Special Agent in Charge Michael Tompkins of the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General’s Washington Field Office made the announcement after the sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Glen E. Conrad of the Western District of Virginia.  

Kevin C. Moore, 42, of Roanoke, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2014, to one count of bribery. 

According to his plea agreement and accompanying statement of facts, between June and September 2014, while Moore was serving as a DEA task force officer, Moore informed a female cooperating defendant that he was in a position to help her with her pending federal methamphetamine trafficking case.  In August 2014, for example, in a series of text messages with the cooperating defendant, Moore made clear that he could recommend a favorable sentence to a prosecutor on the cooperating defendant’s behalf in exchange for sexual favors.  Moore then convinced the cooperating defendant to go for a ride in his official vehicle where she performed a sexual act with Moore.

As part of his guilty plea, Moore also admitted to engaging in similar conduct with two other female cooperating witnesses in federal drug investigations dating back to 2009.  According to the statement of facts, Moore falsely informed these witnesses that he had convinced federal prosecutors not to charge them with federal criminal offenses that would carry significant prison sentences.  Moore then solicited and received sexual favors from the witnesses in exchange for his purported assistance.

Moore was arrested on Oct. 10, 2014, without incident, and was suspended from the police department and DEA task force the same day.  Moore was terminated from his employment with the City of Salem Police Department after pleading guilty in this case.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Charles R. Walsh and Robert J. Heberle of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.